SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
MINISTER FOR WOMEN
MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
MINISTER FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICES

MARK BUTLER MP
MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGING 
MINISTER FOR DISABILITY AND THE NDIS 

DAVID SMITH MP 
MEMBER FOR BEAN 

DELIVERING A MEDICARE URGENT CARE CLINIC FOR WODEN

The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment for a further 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics with the tender process underway to identify a provider to operate the new Woden clinic.
 
The new Woden Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be open over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment needed, and all patients will be fully bulk billed.
 
This GP led clinic is intended to take pressure off local hospitals, including the Canberra Hospital, and will fill an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend. 
 
A tender process led by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Primary Health Network has commenced to identify a provider to operate the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in the ACT.
 
The tender process is open to general practices, community health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, until 19 September 2025.
 
Ninety Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have opened across Australia, which have already seen more than 1.8 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023, including over 236,000 presentations to the five existing Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in the ACT.
  
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
 
“The Albanese Government is getting on with the job of delivering more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics for Canberrans.
  
“These clinics will be open seven days a week, extended hours and most importantly they’ll be fully bulk billed.” 
  
Quotes attributable to Senator Katy Gallagher:
 
“The tender process for the Woden Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is an important step towards delivering better health care for our community.
 
“This clinic will mean families in Woden and the south side can access urgent medical care, close to home, without the stress of going to the emergency department.
 
“The Woden clinic will also ease pressure on Canberra Hospital’s emergency department and make sure Canberrans can see a doctor when it really matters.”
 
Quotes attributable to David Smith MP, Member for Bean:
 
“This is an important step towards delivering better health care for our community and delivering on our election commitment.
                                                                                   
“I thank the Capital Health Network for their work to date, and with the tender process underway to identify a provider, the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in the Woden Valley is one step closer.
 
“A facility that will deliver the free urgent care you need, fully bulk billed, for extended hours, and will take pressure off the Canberra Hospital.”

FRIDAY, 22 AUGUST 2025